Truck bolster



Jan. 31, 1928.

M. H. MARTIN TRUCK BOLSTER Filed Jan. 25, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 PatentedJan. 31, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,657,934 PATENT OFFICE.

MARK H. MARTIN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR T T. H. SYMINGTON &SON, INCL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND.

TRUCK BOLSTER.

Application filed January 25, 192']. Serial No. 163,857.

The invention relates to truck bolsters for railway cars.

The principal object of the invention, generally stated. is to provide atruck bolster of such construction that use may be made of a nest oftruck springs of greater over-all height, and if desired of greaterdiameter of bar stock, than usual so that the spring travel or capacityof a car equipped with the invention will derive the benefits therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bolster of such designthat springs of increased length may be used without sacrificingtheessential bearing areas between the bolster and side frames.

An important object of the invention is to provide a bolster capable ofbeing used in connection with a nest of truck springs of greater heightand consequently greater N travelthan the ordinary or standard varietywithout it being necessary to lower the spring plank which consequentlyremains at its usual elevation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bolster so constructedthat if desired means may be employed in connection therewith forutilizing a nest of springs of standard height if those of an increasedheight are either unavailable or undesired, depending upon circumstancesor conditions.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a truck bolsterwhich has its underside recessed to accommodate a nest of springs ofgreater height than is called as for in the ordinary standard type ofconstruction, means being provided for holding the spring nest againstdisplacement. the recess also being adapted to be filled by a removablefiller block in case of any desire or necessity for the employment ofthe conventional springs.

A further object of the invention is to provide a truck bolster of thischaracter which is interchangeable with one of standard pattern andwhich may be used in connection with ordinary side frames withoutinvolving any alterations in the construction thereof. v I

An additional object is to provide a bolster of this character and forthis purpose which will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easyto install or assemble, positive in action, efficient and durable inservice, and a general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the inventionpreferably consists in the detailed construction and the arrangement andcombination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed,and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevation, with parts broken away and in section, ofa bolster constructed in accordance with my invention and showing itmounted within a portion of a side frame and seated upon a nest of sprins of increased height compared with the usual design,

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken longitudinally of the bolster andtransversely of the side frame along the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 1 showing the entirebolster in cross section and illustrating the filler block in place topermit use of a spring nest of standard height, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 2 showing the fillerblock in place.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the numeral 1 designates aportion of a truck side frame having the usual column guide 2 with guideportions 3 thereon intended for slidable engagement of the bolster 4therewith. The usual window opening 5 is provided and at the bottomthereof is a seat 6 for the spring plank 7 which supports a nest ofsprings indicated generally at 8 at each end of the bolster.

The bolster 4 may be of the same general construction as those ofordinary t e and is intended to have the same dimensions so as to becapable of replacing the usual variety without necessitating anyalterations or modificatiions in the design of the side frames. Thebolster has the guide portions 9 thereon .located outwardly of andcooperating with the guide portions 3 of the side frames so that thebolster may have free vertical movement, depending upon springcompression and yet be capable of either lateral or longitudinaldisplacement. Each 105 end portion of the bolster has its bottom wall 10offset upwardly as indicated at 11 so as to define a space or recess 12beneath it at the point where the nest of springs is located, it beingclear that the distance 11.

between the top of the sprin plank 7 and the underside of the upwar lyofli'set bottom portion 11 of the bolster is greater than the heightordinarily existing for the purpose of accommodating a standard heightof spring nest.

The spring nests 8 are of ordinary consetruction in that each includesupper and lower spring plates 13 and 14 respectively which may beprovided with the usual or any preferred outstruck collars, guide lugsor the like 15 fitting within the ends of the springs 16. In the presentinstance each nest is shown as including five springs though it shouldbe distinctly understood that this number is merely for purposes ofillustration as it may be varied to suit the requirements of theindividual manufacturer which will in turn be governed by contemplatedcar loads and possibly other conditions. Furthermore, the spring platesare preferably formed with lugs or the like 17 and 18 received withinopenings 19 and 20 in the bottom wall 11 of the bolster and the springplank 7 respectively for the purpose of preventing displacement of thenest of springs in any direction.

In the use of the bolster, it will of course be apparent that itoperates in identically the same manner as those of ordinaryconstruction employing springs of this type, the only difference beingthat springs of greater height may be employed than is ordinarilypossible, this advantage resulting from the upward oifsetting of thebottom of the end portions of the bolster. The added length or height ofthe springs will obviouslyincrease their travel and prevent overloadingand possible damage under heavy load conditions.

If for instance springs of increased height are not available or if forany reason it is not needed to use them, as for example in case thebolster is used in a car intended for or capable of only light loading,spring nests of ordinary height may be used by providing a filler block21 within each end of the bolster, the block being of a width to fitwithin the space 12 and of a thick ness to fill the same. Springs nestsof ordinary height are indicated at 22 in Figures 4 and 5. To preventdisplacement of the filler blocks it is preferable that they be rovidedat their upper surfaces with proections 23 designed to fit within theopenmgs 19 in the bolster bottom and that they be formed at theirundersides with recesses 24 to receive the lugs on the top of the springplate of the nest of springs.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will beapparent that I have thus provided a bolster construction in whichincreased spring capacity is readily obtainable. Furthermore the bolsteris interchangeable with those of ordinary types and may be used inconnection with ordinary spring nests if found desirable. It is reallybelieved that the construction, operation and advantages will be readilya parent to one skilled in the art without urther explanation.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of theinvention it should be understood that the disclosure is merely anexemplification of the principles involved as I reserve the right tomake all such changes in the construction and arrangement of parts aswill not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of theclaims hereunto appended.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In'a railway car truck including side frames having'window openingsbounded by column guides and equipped with spring seats, a spring plankbridging the side frames and resting upon said seats, a nest of springsmounted on each end of the spring plank and located within the windowopenings, and a bolster having its end portions located within thewindow openings in engagement with the column guides and seating uponthe nests of springs, the ends ofthe bolster having bottom walls offsetupwardly to give an added space whereby to accommodate nests of springsof greater height than called for in standard equipment.

2. In a railway truck including side frames having window openingstherein, a spring plank seated at the bottom of the openings, and a nestof springs upon each end of the spring plank located within the windowopenings; a bolster having end portions extending into the windowopenings for cooperation with the nests of springs, the underside of thebolster having its side edges at a level corresponding to the normalheight of standard spring nests and having its intermediate portionofi'set upwardly to define an additional space for the accommodation ofsaid nests of springs, said nests being of a greater height than theconventional standard pattern for providing increased spring capacity.

3. In a railway truck including side frames having window openingstherein, a

spring plank seated at the bottom of the openings. and a nest of springsupon each end of the spring plank located within the window openings; abolster having end portions extending into the window opemngs forcooperation with the nests of springs, the underside of the bolsterhaving its side edges at a level corresponding to the normal hei ht ofstandard spring nests and having its 1ntermediate portion ofl'setupwardly to define an additional space for the accommodation of saidnests of sprin said nests being of a greater height than t econventional standard pattern for providing increased spring Illcapacity. and means disposable within the space defined by the upwardoffsetting of the bottom of the bolster for cooperation with springnests of standard height.

4. In a railway truck including side frames-having window openingstherein, a spring plank seated at the bottom of the openings, and a nestof springs upon each end of the spring plank located within the windowopenings; a bolster having end portions extending into the windowopenings for cooperation with the nests of springs, the underside of thebolster having its side edges P at a, level corresponding to the normalheight of standard-spring nests and having its intermediate portionoffset upwardly to define an additional 5 ace for the accommodation ofsaid nests of springs, said nests being of a greater hei ht than theconventional standard pattern %or providing increased spring travel, andmeans disposable within the space defined by the upward oflsetting ofthe bottom of the bolster for cooperation with spring nests of standardheight, said means comprising filler blocks of a size to fit within thespace flush with the bottom edges of the bolster.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

MARK H. MARTIN.

